How to Get Blood Out of a Mattress
Updated August 2026
The short answer
Blood on a mattress follows the same chemistry as blood on anything else; it is a protein stain, and heat sets it permanently, with one added constraint: you cannot rinse a mattress. Everything must be done with small amounts of cold liquid and a lot of blotting. Dab with cold water first to lift as much as possible, then work in a small amount of enzyme cleaner or dish soap solution and blot it back out. For remaining marks on the fabric surface, 3% hydrogen peroxide applied sparingly can help; most mattress tops are white or light. Cold liquid only, small amounts only, and dry the area thoroughly when done.
Before you start
You need: cold water, clean white cloths, enzyme cleaner or liquid dish soap, a fan for drying. Optional: 3% hydrogen peroxide for remaining marks on white mattress fabric, baking soda for damp-odor prevention.
Wash the sheets and bedding separately; blood on sheets is machine-washable and has its own straightforward treatment.
Use cold water at every stage. Warm or hot water coagulates blood proteins and bonds them to the fabric permanently.
Work with damp, not wet. A mattress that gets soaked dries slowly and can mildew inside.
Steps
- 1Blot fresh blood with a dry cloth first. Press, do not rub; rubbing spreads the stain across the mattress surface.
- 2Dab with cold water. Dampen a white cloth with cold water and dab the stain, swapping to clean sections as blood transfers. Keep going while blood keeps lifting.
- 3Apply a small amount of enzyme cleaner or cold dish-soap solution. Work it gently into the stain with the cloth. Enzyme cleaner is more effective on blood because blood is a protein stain.
- 4Let it sit 10–15 minutes, then blot it back out with a cold damp cloth followed by a dry one.
- 5For dried blood, rehydrate first. Lay a cold, damp cloth over the stain for 20–30 minutes before treating; the blood must be softened before the cleaner can work.
- 6For marks that remain on white fabric: dab a small amount of 3% hydrogen peroxide on the stain, let it bubble briefly, then blot out thoroughly with a cold damp cloth. Test on an unseen corner first.
- 7Dry the area completely. Fan, open windows, sunlight if you can move the mattress. Do not remake the bed until the spot is fully dry.
What not to do
- Do not use warm or hot water at any stage; heat permanently sets blood proteins.
- Do not soak the mattress; use small amounts of liquid, blotted back out, every time.
- Do not scrub; it spreads the stain and pushes blood deeper into the fabric.
- Do not use a hair dryer on heat or a steam cleaner; both set the stain.
- Do not pour hydrogen peroxide freely over the mattress. Dab small amounts and blot it back out; excess peroxide keeps working in the fabric.
- Do not expect perfection on old stains; dried blood that has been on a mattress for months may leave a faint mark even after the treatment removes most of it.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get dried blood out of a mattress?
Soften it first: lay a cold, damp cloth over the stain for 20–30 minutes, then work in a small amount of enzyme cleaner or cold dish-soap solution and blot it back out. Repeat rather than adding more liquid. Dried blood usually fades over two or three cycles; very old stains may leave a faint mark.
Does hydrogen peroxide remove blood from a mattress?
It helps on the light-colored fabric of most mattress tops; dab a small amount of 3% peroxide on the stain, let it bubble briefly, and blot it out thoroughly with a cold damp cloth. Test an unseen corner first, use small amounts, and never pour it on freely.
Why does blood need cold water?
Blood is a protein stain. Heat coagulates the proteins (the same reaction as cooking) and bonds them permanently to fabric. Cold water keeps the proteins loose enough to lift out, which is why every step on this page is cold.
Can I use salt or baking soda paste on mattress blood stains?
A cold-water salt paste can help draw out a fresh stain and is mattress-safe, though enzyme cleaner works better on anything dried. Baking soda mainly helps absorb moisture and odor afterward. Neither replaces the cold-water blotting that does most of the work.
The blood soaked through to the mattress. Are the sheets treated the same way?
Sheets are easier: they are machine washable, so you can rinse them under cold running water, treat with enzyme cleaner or dish soap, and wash cold. The mattress needs the blot-only method because it cannot be rinsed. Treat the sheets first while the mattress treatment dwells.
Is period blood removed the same way as other blood stains on a mattress?
Yes — treat it exactly like any blood stain on a mattress: cold liquid only, blot rather than rub, enzyme cleaner or dish soap, and hydrogen peroxide only as a tested, small-amount follow-up on light fabric. No different technique is needed.
Blood on the sheets or clothes too? Use the Stain Rescue Tool to get the right cold-water plan for each fabric involved.
Use the Stain Rescue ToolRelated guides
Research sources (2)
These sources inform the stain chemistry and material-safety principles used in this guide. Some research supports the underlying mechanism rather than testing the complete household method.
Hemostatic, milk clotting and blood stain removal potential of cysteine proteases from Calotropis gigantea latex — Pharmacognosy Magazine, 2014
Reports complete blood destaining using a protease combined with detergent.
Detergent-Compatible Proteases: Microbial Production, Properties, and Stain Removal Analysis — Preparative Biochemistry & Biotechnology, 2015
Reviews protease performance in detergents and its measured effect on stain removal.